Chapter Text
Hyunjin got off at the last stop on the train. He had been riding all day and all night. He didn’t have an actual destination in mind, but this looked like the right place. He put his bag over his shoulder and walked off the platform.
There wasn’t much around the train station. Just a parking lot and a dirt road leading into town. It seemed like he had stumbled upon the kind of dead end town where nothing happens and people only stay there because they have nowhere else to go. It was the perfect place for him to start over. Somewhere no one knew him and no one would come looking for him.
Hyunjin took the 20 minute walk into town where the main road wasn’t all that more exciting than the train station. It was perfect. He spent some time walking around and getting the lay of the land before walking into a diner. He had left in the middle of the night and hadn’t thought to pack food for the trip. It had been at least 24 hours since he’d eaten, maybe longer.
He sat in a booth as far from the entrance as he could and faced away from the door. He knew it was incredibly unlikely for anyone to recognize him there, but he was still on edge about it. He ordered from a friendly waitress and when the food arrived he realized how starving he was. After eating a real meal and sitting for a while in a place that wasn’t a moving train, he felt a little more like himself. He mindlessly traced light circles around his belly button with his fingertips, subconsciously drawn to what was happening behind it.
“Can I get you anything else sweetheart?”
Hyunjin turned to find the waitress standing at his table.
“No thank you. Just the check, please.”
She tore off the top layer of her notepad and set it down on the table. She smiled at him as she started to walk away.
“Actually,” he said, “I’m looking for a place to live in the area. Do you know where I should start? Maybe an apartment complex or a leasing office?”
“Honey, you’re looking to live in this ol’ town?” She laughed. “You won’t have any trouble finding a place. Most people here are trying to leave, not find a place to stay.”
Hyunjin smiled. That’s exactly the kind of place he wanted to settle down in.
“You might want to try the trailer park down near the gas station,” she continued. “It’s about five blocks from here. Walk out here and turn left. You can’t miss it.”
Hyunjin thanked her and continued his journey on her recommendation. The trailer park came into view in the way she had described. He turned at the gas station and walked into a flat clearing with rows of trailers. There were people sitting outside in folding chairs enjoying the weather while kids ran around playing. Laundry hung from clothes lines in every direction and stray dogs chased each other playfully on the dirt roads. The sight of it made him smile. Something about it reminded him of the home he used to know many years ago. He walked up to the small office at the front of the park. He opened the door and startled the trailer park manager who had fallen asleep at his desk.
After a bit of explaining and requesting, Hyunjin was able to get the manager to show him around to some of the available trailers. He looked around in a two-bedroom trailer and signed a lease on the spot.
It didn’t take him long to settle in as the only belongings he had to his name were the clothes on his back and everything he squeezed into his duffle bag. He unpacked his clothes and looked around to make a list of things he needed. The first and most obvious thing was food. The cabinets were bare and he was already starting to get hungry again since he ate at the diner. He had to keep reminding himself that he wasn’t the only person he was eating for anymore.
He left his trailer and walked back toward the gas station at the front of the park. He walked into the adjoining convenience store and started tossing things into a basket. Shopping on an empty stomach always seemed to result in groceries that looked like they were picked out by a bunch of drunk college students. He dropped the basket down at the register, still distracted by the snacks at the counter.
“Find everything you were looking for?”
Hyunjin tossed one last candy bar on the counter and looked up at the cashier. He was startled by the person looking back at him. The cashier was a young man about his age with short hair and kind eyes. His muscle tone was visible through his convenience store uniform. Hyunjin saw the name “Bang Chan” on his name tag.
“Uh, yeah. Thank you.”
Bang Chan smiled and started scanning his items and putting them in bags. It was admittedly a large amount of food for a convenience store purchase.
“Going on a road trip?” the cashier asked.
“Oh, uh, no,” Hyunjin replied, a little flustered. “The opposite actually. I just moved into a place in the trailer park.”
“Yeah? Welcome to the neighborhood! I live there as well.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, makes the commute to work a lot easier,” he joked.
He bagged the rest of Hyunjin’s groceries and rang them up. Hyunjin paid in cash. He picked up the bags and noticed a sign beside the register.
“You’re hiring?” Hyunjin asked.
“We are. You looking for a job?”
“I am, actually.”
Bang Chan reached under the register and handed him an application.
“I’ll see you around, neighbor.”
“I’ll see you around.”
Hyunjin walked out of the convenience store and smiled for the first time in days.
***
Hyunjin woke up the next morning in a cold sweat. He sat up with a start and frantically looked around for a few seconds before remembering where he was. He took a deep breath and felt silly for overreacting. He looked down and put a hand on his flat belly.
“Sorry little one. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
His moment of peace didn’t last long. Hyunjin felt a wave of nausea wash over him and jumped out of bed to run to the bathroom. Morning sickness was getting the better of him lately.
After eating breakfast and taking some more time to settle in, Hyunjin walked outside. The ground around his trailer was a bit overgrown with brush and weeds. He knew in a few months he wouldn’t be able to do much yard work, so he decided to get a jump on it. He was on his knees in the dirt when he heard a voice behind him.
“Hey neighbor.”
Hyunjin jumped to his feet and spun around with a start.
“Sorry,” Bang Chan said, “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“That’s okay,” Hyunjin said, trying not to let it show that his heart was beating a mile a minute. “I didn’t hear you walk up.”
“I was just passing by and spotted you. Is this your place?”
“Yeah, I thought I’d clear up these weeds once I settled in.”
“Ah yeah, Mr. and Mrs. Beasley lived here before you. They never took care of the place much.”
“Do you know everyone who lives in the park?”
“Just about. I’ve lived here most of my life.”
Hyunjin smiled. He was comforted by Bang Chan’s warm friendly energy. He had only just met him but he felt safe in his presence.
“Well, I have to get to work,” he continued. “I hope you’ll come by with that application later.”
“I will,” Hyunjin said, a bit too eager.
“Great,” Bang Chan smiled. “I’m looking forward to it.”
***
Hyunjin turned in the application that afternoon and got a call back from the store manager almost immediately. It turns out they weren’t getting a lot of applicants for a convenience store position in this tiny quiet town.
A few days later, he had on his new convenience store uniform and was working his first shift with Bang Chan. Hyunjin really enjoyed working with him. He had a way of making him feel welcome and somehow made things like counting change and stocking shelves fun. There were a few moments where Hyunjin was actually enjoying himself so much that he briefly forgot about why he was there in the first place and the reality of his situation.
The store was empty of customers and Bang Chan took the opportunity to train Hyunjin on how to manage the coffee bar. He showed him how to stock the condiments and how to keep the area clean.
“Make sure you check all the milk and creamers at the start of your shift,” Bang Chan said as he picked up carton after carton on the counter. “If any of them spoiled overnight make sure to throw them out.”
He opened a carton of cream and found that it had gone bad. The smell of sour milk instantly hit Hyunjin’s nose and his stomach started doing somersaults. He tried to fight it but ultimately had to dart away from the counter into the employee bathroom. Bang Chan followed behind and saw him bent over the trash can.
“Are you alright?” Bang Chan asked, standing in the doorway.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Hyunjin said, spitting the remains of vomit from his lips. “I just need a minute.”
“Hey, if you’re sick, you can go home. I can work the rest of the shift alone.”
“No, no, I’ll be fine. I’ll be okay in a minute.”
“Listen, this is more for me than it is for you. If you’re sick, you shouldn’t be spreading your germs around—”
“I’m not sick,” he interrupted. “I’m pregnant.”
“Oh,” Bang Chan replied, a little dumbfounded. “I’m sorry, I… I didn’t mean…”
“It’s okay, you didn’t know.” Hyunjin wiped his mouth with a paper towel and stood up.
“Well, even so, if you’re not feeling up to working, I can give your partner a call for you if—”
“There’s no partner,” Hyunjin interrupted again. “It’s just me. And really, this will pass in a minute. It comes in waves.”
“Oh, okay,” he said, unsure how to respond.
“Listen,” Hyunjin added, “I would really appreciate it if you didn’t mention this to your boss. I was worried he wouldn’t hire me if he knew and I really need this job.”
“Sure,” Bang Chan said with a kind smile. “He won’t hear it from me. Take as much time as you need and I’ll see you back out there.”
“Thank you.”
Bang Chan returned to the front of the store and Hyunjin took a deep breath. He prepared himself to get back to work. He still felt a bit ill and had a lot on his mind, and yet, he found himself walking back toward the front of the store with a smile on his face.